Best of Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow

Best of Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow

CHINA-RUSSIA-RELIGION-KIRILL

MARK RALSTON

Chinese members of the congregation who are descended from 17th Century Russian Cossack soldiers during a service conducted by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill at the Russian Embassy in Beijing during his first ever visit to China on May 12, 2013. Patriarch Kirill is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin who survived Communist repression and made the church into one of the more powerful institutions of the post-Soviet state. The 65-year-old native of Putin's Saint Petersburg was selected for the high post in 2009 and embarked on a campaign to spread the Russian faith both inside the country and abroad. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON

Chinese members of the congregation who are descended from 17th Century Russian Cossack soldiers during a service conducted by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill at the Russian Embassy in Beijing during his first ever visit to China on May 12, 2013. Patriarch Kirill is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin who survived Communist repression and made the church into one of the more powerful institutions of the post-Soviet state. The 65-year-old native of Putin's Saint Petersburg was selected for the high post in 2009 and embarked on a campaign to spread the Russian faith both inside the country and abroad. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Moscow Eparchial House

Sasha Mordovets

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (L) and President Vladimir Putin (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (L) and President Vladimir Putin (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Moscow Eparchial House

Sasha Mordovets

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (L) and President Vladimir Putin (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (L) and President Vladimir Putin (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Moscow Eparchial House

Sasha Mordovets

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (L) and President Vladimir Putin (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (L) and President Vladimir Putin (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Moscow Eparchial House

Sasha Mordovets

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (C) talks as President Vladimir Putin (R) crosses himself as they are visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (C) talks as President Vladimir Putin (R) crosses himself as they are visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Moscow Eparchial House

Sasha Mordovets

Russian billionaire and businessman Arkady Rotenberg (L) and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian billionaire and businessman Arkady Rotenberg (L) and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Moscow Eparchial House

Sasha Mordovets

Russian billionaire and businessman Arkady Rotenberg (L) and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian billionaire and businessman Arkady Rotenberg (L) and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Moscow Eparchial House

Sasha Mordovets

Russian billionaire and businessman Arkady Rotenberg (L) and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian billionaire and businessman Arkady Rotenberg (L) and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (R) are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Moscow Eparchial House

Sasha Mordovets

Russian billionaire and businessman Arkady Rotenberg (L), Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (C) and President Vladimir Putin are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian billionaire and businessman Arkady Rotenberg (L), Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (C) and President Vladimir Putin are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Moscow Eparchial House

Sasha Mordovets

Russian billionaire and businessman Arkady Rotenberg (L), Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin (2L), Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (C) and President Vladimir Putin are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Russian billionaire and businessman Arkady Rotenberg (L), Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin (2L), Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (C) and President Vladimir Putin are seen visiting the restored St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles Church under the Moscow Eparchial House. Restoration of the eparchial house and the church has been conducted to celebrate 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir.

Orthodox Patriarch Kirill seen during the funeral for former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov at Novodevichy Monastery Cemetery on June 29, 2015 in Moscow, Russia. Russian politician and diplomat Yevgeny Primakov, 85, died on June 26, 2015.

Orthodox Patriarch Kirill seen during the funeral for former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov at Novodevichy Monastery Cemetery on June 29, 2015 in Moscow, Russia. Russian politician and diplomat Yevgeny Primakov, 85, died on June 26, 2015.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (L) seen during funeral for former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov at Novodevichy Monastery Cemetery on June 29, 2015 in Moscow, Russia. Russian politician and diplomat Yevgeny Primakov, 85, died on June 26, 2015.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (L) seen during funeral for former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov at Novodevichy Monastery Cemetery on June 29, 2015 in Moscow, Russia. Russian politician and diplomat Yevgeny Primakov, 85, died on June 26, 2015.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (L) seen during funeral for former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov at Novodevichy Monastery Cemetery on June 29, 2015 in Moscow, Russia. Russian politician and diplomat Yevgeny Primakov, 85, died on June 26, 2015.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (L) seen during funeral for former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov at Novodevichy Monastery Cemetery on June 29, 2015 in Moscow, Russia. Russian politician and diplomat Yevgeny Primakov, 85, died on June 26, 2015.

Keywords

Chinese members of the congregation who are descended from 17th... News PhotoArmy Soldier,Beijing,China - East Asia,Congregation,Horizontal,Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow,People,Religion,Religious Service,Russian Orthodoxy,VisitPhotographer MARK RALSTONCollection: AFP 2013 AFPChinese members of the congregation who are descended from 17th Century Russian Cossack soldiers during a service conducted by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill at the Russian Embassy in Beijing during his first ever visit to China on May 12, 2013. Patriarch Kirill is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin who survived Communist repression and made the church into one of the more powerful institutions of the post-Soviet state. The 65-year-old native of Putin's Saint Petersburg was selected for the high post in 2009 and embarked on a campaign to spread the Russian faith both inside the country and abroad. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)